11 April 9-15, 2026 miaminewtimes.com | browardpalmbeach.com NEW TIMES | CONTENTS | LETTERS | NEWS | NIGHT+DAY | CULTURE | CAFE | MUSIC | BRUNCH EVERY SAT & SUN BEST WATERFRONT VIEWS IN MIAMI 3201 RICKENBACKER CWY, KEY BISCAYNE, FL 33149 | 305.361.3818 WWW.THERUSTYPELICAN.COM BE SOCIAL WITH US! /RUSTYPELICANMIAMI diners and early-morning commuters for more than 55 years, officially closed its doors on Sunday, March 29. The closure was first reported by the local news Instagram account @wilsonews2026, which noted that customers were greeted by a final thank-you note taped to the glass. The exit isn’t exactly a surprise to those track- ing the real estate between Edgewater and the Design District. The property was sold by Denny’s Realty LLC to Pacific Star Capital for approxi- mately $24 million back in early 2022. While the diner managed to hang on for a few years after the sale, the inevitable march of high-density res- idential development has finally reached the cor- ner of 36th St. The low-slung diner and its parking lot are slated to be replaced by a massive 18-story mixed-use high-rise. The proposed tower is de- signed to maximize utility from the Biscayne lot, featuring 175 apartment units and 7 penthouses. The ground floor will look significantly different from the current landscape. It will feature over 26,000 square feet of retail space, reportedly in- cluding a new grocery store for the area’s grow- ing population of condo dwellers. This project is part of a broader trend of rede- velopment that is rapidly erasing the mid-century commercial character of Biscayne Boulevard. As the Design District pushes south and Edgewater pushes west, the older, single-story franchises that once defined the corridor are being swapped for vertical luxury and retail footprints. Just last week, New Times broke the news that a cherished 11-year- old seafood spot was forced to close in the area. While the local real estate play was the imme- diate cause of closing for this specific Denny’s lo- cation, the closure also fits into a larger corporate restructuring for the Denny’s brand. Last year, the company announced it would be shuttering un- derperforming restaurants across the country. In early 2025, leadership revealed that they had closed 88 locations in 2024 and planned to close another 70-90 by the end of 2025. For the Biscayne location, the “underperform- ing” label likely had less to do with the number of “Grand Slams” sold and more to do with the fact that the land it sat on had become too valuable. The note left on the door thanked the community for over half a century of support. Pacific Star Capital has not yet announced an official groundbreaking date for the new tower, but with the diner now empty, the demolition crews aren’t likely to be far behind. For those who spent fifty years sliding into those yellow booths, the only thing left to do is find a new place for a midnight snack. Denny’s. 3600 Biscayne Blvd., Miami. Now closed. OLEE FOWLER ▼ LITTLE RIVER MONSTER ENERGY In a city that knows how to go out, it takes some- thing truly special to stand out. And in 2026, one Miami bar just proved it can hang with the best of them anywhere on the planet. Bar Kaiju, the neon-drenched, monster- themed cocktail den that earned a spot on New Times’ Top 50 Bars 2026, has officially been named one of the top 100 bars in North America. The recognition came Tuesday, March 31, when North America’s 50 Best Bars, sponsored by Per- rier, revealed its extended 51-100 list. Bar Kaiju landed at No. 70. The annual ranking is no small feat. The list is determined by votes from a panel of more than 300 independent cocktail experts, bartenders, educators, and drinks writers across the region. This year’s list spans 28 destinations and includes 14 new entries. The U.S. leads the list with 25 bars across cities like New York, Chicago, Los Angeles, and Hous- ton, while Canada follows with 19 entries. Mexico, Puerto Rico, and Grand Cayman also earned spots. The official 1-50 announcement is set to take place on April 22 in Vancouver. “The 51–100 list allows us to celebrate an even wider array of bars and the incredible diversity of drinks culture across North America,” said Emma Sleight, Head of Content for North America’s 50 Best Bars. “The bars featured reflect the creativity and passion defining the region’s hospitality scene.” At Bar Kaiju, creativity is the entire point. While many speakeasies lean into Prohibition-era nostal- gia, this Miami standout looks somewhere entirely different for inspiration: Japanese monster movies. Inside, the space glows with neon hues, vin- tage film posters, and bold Japanese artwork. The menu reads like a cinematic universe, with cocktails inspired by iconic creatures and charac- ters. One standout, the “MechaGodzilla,” blends Japanese whisky with cherry blossom vermouth and lychee for a bright, highball-style sip. It’s the kind of place where every detail feels intentional, from the glassware to the storytelling behind each drink, and where a night out feels more like stepping into another world. For Bar Kaiju, global recognition isn’t entirely new. The bar has been steadily building buzz since it opened, thanks to its bold concept and boundary-pushing menu. In 2024, it was named one of the best new bars in the U.S. by Bon Appétit, earning national attention for its anime-inspired cocktail program. By 2025, it was already in the conversation for one of the world’s best cocktail menus. Now, with a spot on this list — for the second year in a row — Bar Kaiju is only getting better. Bar Kaiju’s latest accolade is another reminder that Miami’s cocktail scene is not just thriving, it’s competing on a global stage. From design-forward lounges to neighbor- hood gems, the city continues to produce bars that are as ambitious as they are unforgettable. For now, Bar Kaiju sits at No. 70 in North America. Not bad for a place where monsters rule the menu and every drink tells a story. Bar Kaiju. 8300 NE Second Ave., Miami; barka- iju.com. NICOLE LOPEZ-ALVAR Photo by Anthony Nader/52 Chefs Hidden Miami cocktail spot Bar Kaiju at the Citadel in Little River has been ranked among the top 100 bars in North America for 2026.
